Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu in Amritsar on Saturday. (Express photo by Rana Simranjit Singh)Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu paid tribute to the victims of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar on its centenary on Saturday.
The massacre took place on April 13, 1919, when British troops under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer opened fire at a peaceful gathering of people, leaving hundreds dead and scores injured.
After placing a wreath at the memorial at Jallianwala Bagh, Naidu released a Rs 100 commemorative coin and a postage stamp to mark the centenary of the tragedy. The commemoration ceremony was organised by the Ministry of Culture.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who was among those invited, did not attend the event.
Joint secretary in Ministry of Culture, S C Barmma, who was at Jallianwala Bagh, said that besides an invitation to the Punjab CM, “another 1000 cards were sent to Punjab chief secretary for inviting people to the event”.
Amarinder's media advisor Raveen Thukral later said, “The chief minister has regretted that he could not attend the event due to his other commitments. He participated in the state government organised event at Jallianwala Bagh in the morning.”
Thukral added that state minister O P Soni “was in waiting and as per protocol” concerned officials received the cice president.
In the visitor's book at Jallianwala, Naidu wrote, “I feel extremely humbled as I pay may homage to the…
